Culture

Pachyderm Recovery Project revisited

November 19th, 2014

Search for Horace Mann circus elephant puts the legend under the microscope

An elephant is buried under Horace Mann Elementary school. At least, local legend tells us this.

It’s a story almost as old as Fargo itself: an elephant with a traveling circus died during a tour stop in town and was buried on the land where Horace Mann now stands.

The legend has persisted through the ages, through Horace Mann alumni, employees and neighborhood residents. Today, however, the story that has lost…

UnityND founder recognized by USA Network

November 12th, 2014

UnityND founder recognized by USA Network

One of the founders of UnityND is being recognized by USA Network for his anti-racism efforts and will be given an award at ceremony this Saturday.

Scott Garman, of Little Falls, Minn. and formerly of Fargo, will received a Characters Unite Award, which is inspired by USA Network’s “Characters Welcome” slogan to fight social injustices and cultural divides still prevalent in our society. As a part of the award, UnityND will receive a $5,000…

Dog lovers’ gala

November 5th, 2014

On Nov. 8, starting at 7 p.m., the Holiday Inn in Fargo will host the 6th Annual Silent Auction and Gala benefitting the canines of 4 Luv of Dog Rescue. This event will feature a cash bar, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and DJ B-Rock from Renegade Sound & Light.

This year’s gala coordinator is Jill Nona, who serves on 4 Luv of Dog Rescue’s Board of Directors. She’s also a paralegal at Vogel Law Firm, a member of the Red River Valley Paralegal Association, and an alum of Minnesota…

Quite a quasquicentennial: ND turns 125

November 5th, 2014

Dakota marker / Photo by Jack Dura

Looking back on the state’s 125 years and what makes NoDak stand out

It was a birthday like no other for North Dakota last Sunday, Nov. 2. The state turned 125 with its sister South Dakota, marking a quasquicentennial of statehood.

In a century-and-a-quarter, North Dakota’s racked up quite a history, with even more legendary events before it even became a state. Here’s a rundown of North Dakota’s greatest hits.

Lewis and Clark at Fort Mandan

We all know the Corps of Discovery…

Voting historically

October 29th, 2014

By Aaron Barth

A couple days ago HPR’s J Earl Miller called to chat. In that conversation, we spoke about the Nov. 4 election, and also about what a person might do to motivate others to vote. We agreed that there was little we could do to motivate people to vote.

Our conversation turned toward history. I said to J that since history is a continuous sequence of causes and effects, it means that history, or research and knowledge of it, informs a voter today. This includes knowing the…

Shop & Give Back

October 22nd, 2014

Katie Lewis Photography

New downtown Boutique, Others, Built by the community, for the community

Community is the main focus of the new retail boutique in downtown Fargo. Laura Morris and Jodi Regan are two driven, passionate women who manage the new boutique Others.

Others is aimed at improving the three pillars of a strong community: education, job creation and public health.

The store strives for sustainability: the ability to fuel itself through the buying and selling of its products.

“We wanted to stray…

Ghosts on the prairie

October 22nd, 2014

Photo by Sabrina Hornung

The Sims Scandinavian Lutheran Church and The Lady in Gray

Let’s be honest, everyone loves a good ghost story, or at least the vast majority of us do. But fear not, dear readers, the ghost at hand is a benevolent one. I first heard of The Lady in Gray while looking over a copy of “Spooky Creepy North Dakota” by Lori L. Orser. The book explores ghost stories, hauntings and rural legends all within our great state. The Lady in Gray just so happens to hail from Sims, N.D.

Sims is a…

Power to the Public

October 22nd, 2014

Prairie Public celebrates 50 years with a community-driven Golden Gala

The local broadcasting company that brings us “Prairie Musicians,” “Prairie Mosaic,” “Prairie Pulse,” “Arthur,” “Downton Abbey,” “Main Street,” and hours upon hours of other engaging educational programs through television and radio is celebrating 50 years service.

Now the community can find a way to give back to one of its resident staples. On Saturday, Oct. 25, Prairie Public is putting on a…

Prairie Public Embarks on its 50th Year

October 16th, 2014

By Russell Ford Dunker

What began with a hand-me-down trailer house headquarters and television transmitter tower on the edge of Fargo is now a region-wide television and radio network, employing about 150 people in Fargo, Bismarck and Minot. At 50, Prairie Public Television is not showing signs of being over-the-hill. Rather, it continues to embrace technological advances in the medium while remaining remarkably close to the same mission it has had from the beginning – to deliver…

Coworking for creatives

September 25th, 2014

In Fargo, it’s now possible for freelance designers to be co-workers with university professors. It’s now much more possible for a web developer to get over-the-shoulder feedback from a creative writer, or vice versa. Or perhaps a tech entrepreneur needs advice from a coworking attorney. In many cases, people might just find whom they need advice from in the kitchen or in on their way to the bathroom.

While all these professionals may not be employed by the same person, who’s to…